Abs

SaintsGal
SaintsGal Posts: 62
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I am currently in the middle of my weight loss and I have lost 8 lbs already in about a month - 6 weeks (not much really and still got a way to go yet but I'm getting there slowly :) ) This has been down to a mixture of reduced calories and increased exercise. However, I am worried that some of this may be down to reduced muscle mass (something I have read a lot about on these forums).

I am now going to incorporate some strength training into my gym routine a couple of times a week however, I have no idea about what machines are the best to use?

If anyone has any experience or preferences please let me know so I am not completely shooting in the dark when choosing a machine.

Any information would be appreciated :)
xx

Replies

  • wolfpack77
    wolfpack77 Posts: 655
    Break your strength training up between pushing exercises (triceps, chest), pulling exercises (back, biceps) and legs. Do these on seperate days with one rest day in between. So you'll need 3 days a week to hit all these muscle groups.

    There are many machines in the gym that will hit all of these, but you dont need them. Starting out with bodyweight exercises such as pushups, chinups and squats is a great start. As you get stronger you can add weight to these exercises without even touching a machine.
  • SaintsGal
    SaintsGal Posts: 62
    Are the machines at the gyms good for toning/maintaining muscle mass though as I have read on here that some of the machines are not all that beneficial?

    Also this may sound silly but how are you meant to pull your abdominal muscles in as I think I do not do this correctly (I feel like I am just breathing in a lot more than usual rather than working the muscles :/)

    x
  • v70t5m
    v70t5m Posts: 186 Member
    Check out the "New Rules of Weight Lifting" books ... I follow the Abs title.

    They encourage, and I agree, complex movement exercises that reduce the number of exercises you do in any given weight routine, but increase the number of muscles worked per exercise.

    Machines lock you into a certain range of motion, which is not optimal for many bodies. Free weights are better in that you control your range and angle of motion ... but that is also the negative - if you do not know what you are doing, you could easily hurt yourself.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories